Talkalakh :Ethnic cleansing by Hezbollah, Shabiha and Assad's Forces

The full Report about Tal Kalakh Prepared by
Syrian Network for Human RightsPeriod covered: 18/6/2013 to 25/6/2013

Lebanese Hezbollah accompanied by Shabiha and
Syrian Government's Armed Forces started wide attack in the period between 18/6/2013 ended
in 25/6/2013
, led to many massacres where
at least 15 victims
were killed including 2 ladies ,three SFA, 60 missing citizen and more than
200 victims
, in addition to looting and destruction

On Tuesday 18/6/2013 , Lebanese Hezbollah militia accompanied to Shabiha from the
Alawite villages surrounded the city and Syrian Government's Armed Troops
started a siege on the city where Syrian Government cut off communication,
electricity and water.Thursday 20/6/2013, After the siege where they prevent the entry and exist of
anyone, they stated a very heavy shelling with artillery, rocket launcher, and
warplanes led to 40
injuries , the shelling lasted for two days.

Saturday 22/6/2013, those troops launched a ground offensive attack accompanied
with large number of tank and armored vehicles on the north side and west side
of Talkalakh city , led to fall many neighborhood very quickly : Tal-Alshamali
, Mahata and western neighborhood, we could document 5 victims including 4 civilians
: 2 ladies
and 1 famous
media activist Mohamd Ahmad Maisara Aldandashi , who was filming the looting
and shelling , and a lawyer , and 1 Syrian Free Army, in addition to 18 victims .We've got many frequent news, where we were
not able to check the news of field execution and residents kidnapping cause of
cut off communication and the banded imposed on all media and human rights
organizations.

Talkalakh mediates Homs city and Tartous city,45 km west
of Homs and almost the same distance east of Tartous city.It has a strategic importance, cause it is
located on Homs Tartous highway, adjoined to the Lebanese border adjoined
Lebanese border just 5 km north of Lebanon.Talkalakh surrounded by villages of Alwite
majority.

It had a population of almost 55.000 before its residents
displaced as many Syrian opposition city cause of frequent shelling and Homes
destructions especially in the last few months, where most of her residents
fled out and displaced.

Troops that stormed the
city also destroyed the only medical point that exist there and then prevented
to entre drugs or allows ICRC to enter the city.Sunday 23/6/2013 , they started siege on the rest neighborhoods such as eastern
neighborhood, Ghalion mountain neighborhood and Alsook neighborhood and tried
to storm into where violent clashes took place between Syrian Free Army
Soldiers and them , led to many victims and injuries.Monday 24/6/2013 : the shelling renewed again on the city from Ras Alnaaba
villages led to many victims, then those troops who stormed the city and the
started mop up operations , looting , burning houses, and news of rape women.Tuesday 25/6/2013 . invasive forces controlled most of the neighborhoods in the
city after Syrian Free Army soldiers pulled from the city to the neighboring
countryside, they killed 8 citizens by field executions residents in city center,
more than 30
victims are disappeared they arrested them and took them to unknown
places.The victims that SNHR
documented their names and recognized them are at least 15 victims : 3 SFA , 12 civilians , 2 women , and 1 media activist :1- Ali Haidar : Homs / Talkalakh

The invasive troops
established many checkpoints inside the city that most of her residents fled
out fear of executions and rape. The city is almost empty , paralyzed with no
movements. Terror and panic prevailed there on the contrary of what Syrian
Government said that they re-Security and stability for the people from gangs ,
Al-Qaeda and Nasra.

Responsibility of StatesResponsibility of States
for Internationally Wrongful Actsresponsibility of states
for internationally wrongful acts , similarly Customary IHL provides that
states that the state is responsible for all acts committed by a members of its
military and security forces , thus the states is responsible of wrongful acts
committed by its military and security forces including crimes against humanityProhibition crimes against
humanity are among the rules of jus cogens or peremptory , and punish such
crimes is compulsory according to the General principles of international law.
Moreover, the crimes against humanity are the height violations of basic human
rights, such as the right to life and prohibition of torture or other cruel,
inhuman and degrading treatment. In accordance with the principles of State
responsibility in international law, Syrian Arabic Republic hold responsibility
for such crimes and violations, the duty to ensure punishment of the
perpetrators individually and the duty to provide compensation to victims

SNHR hold all violations
committed by Syrian Government Armed Forces to the Syrian government and the
General Commander of the army and the armed forces, Bashar Al-Assad, and to all
the officials of security branches , and to all financially and morally
supporters to those forces, with the legal judicial and material consequences
to the victims and their families in addition to all the reactions that will
come by the families or their friends

Conclusions :1- SNHR emphases that collective and individual killings as reported
previously was deliberately targeted unarmed civilians , despite government
claims that Alqaeda and terrorists committed these crimes , thus Syria
Government's Armed Forces and Shabiha violated international human rights law
that protects the right of life , in addition to being committed in
non-international armed conflicts a crimes tantamount to war crimes and had all
the conditions2- SNHR emphases that the killing happened in Talkalakh is crime against
humanity , and elements of systematic and widespread attack against civilian
population in the town , where there were a siege , shelling , ground attack ,
house searches , executionsThe same applies on rape ,
kidnapping , looting and thefts even it is relatively less than Extrajudicial
killings .3- Random Attacks committed by Syrian Government's Armed Forces considered
as violation of customary international humanitarian law , where they shelled a
populated areas not a specific military target4- Those attacks , especially bombings, have caused occasional losses of
civilian life, injury or damage to civilian objects. There are very strong
indications to believe that the damage was too excessive when compared to the
expected military advantage.5- Syrian Government's Armed Forces and Shabiha committed various types of
cruel and inhuman acts of torture against people in violation of the State's
obligations under international humanitarian law and international human rights
law6- SNHR emphasis that Syrian Government's Armed Forces and Shabiha war
crime of looting. And contributed to the destruction and burning of property
during searches of homes in the events of Talkalakh.7- The volume of the massacre and repeated nature of the massacres , the
excessive force used and random nature of the shelling and coordinated nature
of the attack couldn't be unless under the higher guidance which is a state
policy

Recommendations :Syrian Governments1- immediately stop all human rights' violations.2- Respect international obligations of protection of civilians in time of
war, and respect for rules of international humanitarian law and international
human rights law

Human Rights Council :1- Demand the Security Council and the concerned international institutions
to hold their responsibilities of what's happening for the Syrian People of
killing , rape , displacement , and arrested2- Pay more and Serious attentions of torturing death cases which
considered as the worst type of crimes at all3- Pressure on the Syrian Government Troops to stop torturing and killing
and release all kidnapped and arrested4- Hold alias and supporters of the Syrian Government Troops : Russia ,
Iran and China , the moral and physical responsibilities for what's happening
to the Syrian peopleSecurity Council :1- Decision to refer all the criminals and the involved to ICC2- Warn the Syrian Government Troops of their percussions of using brutal
methods on the stability of civil peace and coexistence between the people of
the same society

Arab League :1- Demand Human Right Council and United Nations to give a serious and
right attention of stop daily killing2- Political and diplomatic pressure on the Syrian Government Troops 's
main allies-Russia, Iran and China -to prevent them from continuous providing
cover and international and political protection for all the crimes committed
against the Syrian people and hold them moral and physical responsibility for
all the excesses of the Syrian Government Troops3- Serious attention of this case and give it high priority, and try to
take care of victim families Psychologically and materially and educationally